What did Hamas think they would achieve through October 7?

[CroccyWoccy]

I don’t normally post in this section so please forgive the potentially naive or badly phrased question (I don’t like the word ‘achieve’ but struggling to think of a better one.

Without wanting to get into whether any particular actions are justified or proportionate, it seems that it was entirely foreseeable that an attack such as the one that took place on Oct 7 would trigger an Israeli response on the scale we have seen.

With that in mind, I cannot understand Hamas’s motivation for planning such an attack, given the outcome of death and destruction with Gaza was inevitable? Or by trying to attribute some kind of rational strategy of cause and effect to Hamas, am I completely misunderstanding how they operate?

@NotTerfNorCis it's absolute cowardice to fire a rocket from a school knowing it will be targeted.
Unwra and the who are aware this Happens.

@webbydeb I think it's interesting you said "Back to Hamas. I feel they work more for Israel than Palestine but for the sake of the argument," because I just read an article on the rise of Israeli minister Ben-Gvir and his unpleasant friends (plus a discussion on the Carnegie website) which leaves me in no doubt that the current situation suits him and his aims very well.
That doesn't mean I think there is some kind of conspiracy before anyone accuses me.

@Silence1
No but it’s hard not to think that they’re certainly using Oct 7 as an excuse for a plan that was there all along.